Monday, April 5, 2010

Wasting food is not an option at my house – I’m sure none of you like that either. After making the pineapple mint sorbet there were still some mint leaves around – they smelled so good I started eating some while washing them. :)

Those mint leaves ended up becoming ice cream – choc chip mint ice cream, to make things even better. I always have the feeling the mint flavored sweets taste like toothpaste, but this ice cream doesn’t –the flavor is really subtle and, to me, delicious.

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup (240ml) of the cream, and salt in a small saucepan. Add the mint leaves and stir until they're immersed in the liquid. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Strain the mint-infused mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan (the milk will be a lovely shade of emerald*). Press on the mint leaves to extract as much of the flavor as possible, then discard the mint leaves. Pour the remaining 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer on top.
Rewarm the mint-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mint liquid into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over low heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (5-6 hours); freeze custard in ice cream maker.
While ice cream is freezing, melt chocolate in clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, then transfer to a 1-cup glass measure. When ice cream has finished churning, carefully pour chocolate in a slow stream directly onto ice cream as it churns and continue to churn 30 seconds (chocolate will harden in streaks). Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

I am of the same mind in terms of your dislike for waste. Unfortunately, herbs are the one thing that I can't ever seem to finish on time. Next time I'll have to remember this if I have mint, and pesto for any other herb :).